Packer for wells.



C. H. SHEASLEY.

PACKER FOR WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. 1911.

Patented July 23, 1918.

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A TTORNE Y NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. BHEASLEY, OF FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PRODUCERS SUPPLY 60., 0F FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PAOKER FOB WELLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

Application filed April 14, 1917. Serial No. 182,176.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cmumns H. SHE'AS- LEY, citizen of the United States, residin at Franklin, in the county of Venango an State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packers for Wells, of which the following is a specification.

The objects, construction and utility of this invention are herein set forth with sufficient clearness to enable those skilled in the arts of packer construction and oil well equipment, to make and use the same.

The objects of this invention are, to supply a packer for oil wells which shall be of simple construction, inexpensive, efficient, and constructed with special reference to facilitating its removal from the well.

lVith these objects in view I have devised the packer shown in the accompanying drawings, the respective figures of which are as follows:

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section, of my im proved packer, showing the flexible packing member in the position in which it is ar ranged upon its carrying member preparatory to inserting the packer in the well.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the packer, with the upper portion of the packer member in vertical section, to show the position which said upper portion,-which I term the automatic sealassumes when being inserted in the well.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the packer in its service or operative position within the well, the packer sleeve being shown in vertical section.

The construction here illustrated is sub stantially as follows:

The main element of this packer, which carries all the other cooperating members, is termed the pipe section, and is indicated by the numeral 1 Upon said pipe section is mounted a flexible packin sleeve 2 which is composed preferably of ru her, and is adapt ed to have longitudinal movement upon said pipe section; to the upper end of said pipe section is secured a coupling 3, which is prefl erably formed at its lower end to engage the upper, adjacent end of said sleeve in such manner as to reinforce the same when the packer is being lowered into the well; to the lower end of said pipe section is attached a coupling 4, which is of a frusto-gonical shape, with the periphery thereof conver mg downwardly to adapt it to act as a. drift or pilot to correct and straighten out any irregularities which may have been produced n the well easin when said casing was bemg mserted in t e well.

The upper end of said packer member 2, immediately adjacent or abutting and surrounding said pipe section 1, is formed into an upwardly-extending nipple 5; within the lower end of said coupling 3 is provided an annular recess 6,see Fig. 1-which is formed by a downwardly-extending annular lip 7 when the packer is being inserted in the well, these features, 5, 6 and 7, occupy the relative positions shown in Figs. 1 and 4, thus serving to reinforce and protect the upper end of said sleeve 2, and to prevent said coupling 3 from being forced mto or expanding said sleeve 2, when the packer is bemg lowered into the well: This arrangement is also of service when the sleeve 2 is being loosened by percussion, as hereinafter set forth, preparatotry to removing the packer from the well.

The upper face of the lower, or pilot coupling 4 is dished somewhat, as indicated at 8, for the purpose of tending to compress the lower end of said sleeve 2 inwardly, thus causing it to bear more firmly against the periphery of said pipe section 1, and this increased inward pressure not only serves to form a more effective fluid-tight oint when the packer is in service, but it also prevents said coupling from being forced into and expanding the lower end of the packer sleeve.

The upper end of said sleeve 2 is formed into an upwardly-diverging peripheral, annular lip 9 which I term an automatic seal; the perimeter of the upper portion of this lip is somewhat larger in circumference than the bore of the well, so that when said packer is lowered into the well, said lip or seal is caused to assume the position shown in Fig. 2, that is to say, it is compressed inwardly somewhat, so as to automatically form an initial fluid tight joint between its perimeter and the wall of the well: This seal, while preventing a downward'flow of fluid past the same, does not, owing to its u wardlydiverging position, prevent the pee or from being inserted within the well and its submergence in the fluid in the well, since said seal 9 can easily be compressed somewhat ing operation of the well is then started, and

this causes a lowering of the fluid in the well beneath the packer, and because of the automatic sealing action of said seal 9, the weight of the superposed fluid above said sleeve 2 first causes it to move downwardly until it rests upon the abutment 4:, where- I upon the weight of said fluid, indicated by the numeral 11, compresses said sleeve ion-- gitudinally and expands it circumferentially, thus causing said sleeve to occupy substantially the position shown in Fig. 3 and to efiectually prevent any downward flow oi fluid past the same.

Necessity arises occasionally, and for various reasons, "for the removal of the packer from the well, and in case the packer has been in position for a considerable length of time said sleeve 2 may have lost its elasticity, become hard, and adhered to the wall of'the well: In this event the tubing is disconnected from its anchorage at the top of the well, then, by lowering and raising said tubing by quick, forcible movements, the couplings 3 and 4 are caused to strike the respective upper and lower faces of said sleeve 2 with sufficient force to loosen it and permit its ready withdrawal from the well.

A further object of providing said relative longitudinal movement between said pipe section and said flexible sleeve is, to permit a certain amount of longitudinal or upward and downward movement of the tubing, when the same is being placed in the well, without causing a corresponding movement of said sleeve The reason for this I i arnets tubing is bein placed in the well it is necessary to raise it slightly as each yoint is 1nsorted tor the purpose of removing the elevator, or device by which the pipe is seized,

and said relative lontudinal movement is sufiicient to permit sai sleeve to remain stationary when said tubing or pipe is thus raised and said sleeve is thus saved from a certain amount of wear and tear which might be injurious thereto.

nection with certain forms of my packer shown and described in my co-pending application for a patent for packers for oil wells, Serial No. 195,452, filed October 8, 1917, especially those iormsshown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 of said application.

I claim the following:

In a packer for wells, the combination comprising the folloW-ing'elements; a pipe section, a flexible sleeve carried by said p1 e section and adapted to move longitudinal ythereon, said flexible sleeve having as features arranged at the upper end thereof a the lower end of said pipe section consisting so of a downwardly-converging, frusto-conical collar adapted for the attachment of tubing thereto. I

In testimon whereof I afix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

CHARLES H. SHEASLEY.

Witnesses: V WM. B. GRIFFEN,

G. W. Ynsnmo.

55 My improved pilot-coupling here shown '13 especially well adapted to be used in conelement 7 5 

